Picking-machine



I(No Model.) 2 Sheets-#Sheet l.

S. D. MOSHER. PIGKING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. D. MOSHER. PICKING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT einen.

SYLVENUS D. `MOSHEROF STORM KING, NEW YORK.

ING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 544,185, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed November 27, 1894. Serial No. 530,169. (No model-l .To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SYLvENUs'D. Mosnnn, of Storm King, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Picking-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in picking and excavating machines; and the object of my invention is to produce a simple picking apparatus which may be applied to a traction-engine or other vehicle, and which may be operated so as to rapidly and thoroughly pick up the surface of the ground, so that the loosened material may be raised by a steam or other shovel; also to arrange the apparatus so that it may be easily adjusted vertically to enable it to pick on the surface or in the bottom of a ditch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a set of cutters which operate in unison with the picks to true up the sides of a ditch.

To these ends my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus without the side-cutters. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, but with the hoisting-frame removed. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of one of the picks and its handle or supporting-rod. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the cushion for the pick. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one form of pick. Fig. 6 is a similar elevation of a modified form of pick. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the cutters; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the pick-supporting frame, the operating crank-shafts, the picks, and the side-cutters.

The apparatus is mounted on the front end of the vehicle 10, which is preferably provided with an engine 11, and the engine may be utilized to propel the vehicle and also work the picking mechanism. Projecting from one end of the vehicle is a frame 12, to which is pivoted the vertically -swinging frame 13, which carries the picks and supports the cutters. The frame 13 is fulcrumed on the crankshaft 14, which is journaied in the end of the frame 12 and has a driving-pulley 15, driven by a belt 16, connecting with the flywheel of the engine 11, although the crank-shaft may be turned by any other suitable driving mechanism. Near the free end of the frame 13 is journaled a second crank-shaft 17, which at one end is provided with a sprocket-wheel13, driven by a chain 19, connecting with a sprocket-wheel 2O on the shaft 14. The shaft 17 is provided with cranks 21, to which are journaled the upper ends of the pick-rods 22, which depend from the crankshaft and have spring-sections 23 to enable them to strike a yielding blow and to yield lengthwise in case the picks which they carry strike a serious Obstruction.

The rods 22 are pivoted to picks 24, which are preferably provided with weights 25 to enable them to be driven into the ground, and the picks may be shaped like the ordinary hand-picks, with single points, as shown in Fig. 5, o r with double points, as shown in Fig. 6. Each pick 24 is pivoted near the center to a handle or supporting-rod 26, which at its rear end terminates in a box 27, which is journaled on one of the cranks 28 of the crankshaft 14. Each pick is thus actuated by the crank 28 and handles or connecting-rods 26, and also by the cranks 21,'so that the pick has substantially the same swing as when o'perated by hand. To enable the pick to move backward and forward to pass by an obstruction it is cushioned, as shown at 29, this cushion having a guide-frame 30which is 'fastened to the rod or handle 26, and the frame terminates at one end in stops 31, which limit the outward movement of the cross-head 32, (see Fig. 4,) which slides on the frame 30, and to which the pole of the pick 24 is pivoted. The cross-head 32 is provided with a guiderod 33, which slides in a cross-piece 34 of the frame 30, and the cross-head is normally pushed forward by a spring 35, which encircles the rod 33, and the inner end of the rod is secured to a spring 36, which is also fastened to a rod 37, which is secured in the rear end of the frame 30, and thus when the pick has a tendency to swinginward at the top the spring 35 is compressed and the pick may swing in the opposite direction by pulling out the cross-head 32 and elongating the spring 36. Any necessary number of picks may be IOO arranged side by side, this depending on the length of the crank-shafts 14 and 17 and the number of cranks.

The picks may be used either with or without the side-cutters, and in Fig. 8 I have shown the arrangement of such cutters. 'lhese cutters are arranged on opposite sides of the battery of picks, as shown in Fig. 8, and are adapted to true up the sides of the excavation made by the picks. As here shown, the outer cranks 28 of the shaft 14 carry guide or cushion frames 38, which have boxes 30 journaled on the cranks, and the cutters 40,which may be of any necessary shape, have their Shanks arranged to enter the ends of the frames 38, the cutters being normally pressed forward by springs 41, which encircle them and are arranged between abntments 42 on the cutters and cross-pieces 43 in the frames 38. The cutters are supported by cords 44, which are also attached to the frame 13. If desired, the picks may be dispensed with and a battery of cutters used, which thus renders the machine capable of use as a drilling-inachine- It will be seen that when the crank-shafts are driven the picks will be worked up and down, so as to loosen the ground with which they come in contact, while the cutters 40 will be moved backward and forward, oscillating slightly and cutting the sides of the excavation so as to leave them substantially perpendicular.

The frame 13 and the mechanism which it carries Aare raised and lowered by the cable 45, which extends upward over a guide-pulley 46 on the frame 47, which is secured t0 the frame l2, and from the pulley 4G the cable 45 extends downward to a windlass 48, by turning which the cable is wound or unwound and the position of the frame 13 thus regulated.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A picking machine, comprising a swinging frame, crank shafts arranged at the outer and inner ends of the frame, and a series of picks operatively connected with the two crank shafts, substantially as described.

2. A picking machine, comprising a swinging frame, crank shafts near the outer and inner ends of the frame, an operative driving connection between the two crank shafts,

' rods journaled to the outer crank shaft, picks having their upper ends pivoted to the said rods, and a second set of rods pivoted to the picks and to the inner crank shaft, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the swinging frame, the crank shaft at the foot of the frame, and the cutter suspended -from the swinging frame and connected with the cranks of the crank shaft, substantially as described.

4. A picking machine, comprising a vertically swinging frame, crank shafts journaled at the outer and inner ends of the frame, an operative connection between the two crank shafts, a series of yielding rods pivoted to the outer crank shaft, a series of picks having their upper portions connected with the said rods, a second set of rods carried bythe inner crank shaft and connected to the picks, and a cushion between the upper parts of the picks and the second rods, substantially as described.

5. A picking machine, comprising a vertically swinging fratne, a series of picks supported from the frame, mechanism carried by the frame to swing the picks up and down, and reciprocating cutters supported on the frame and arranged at the sides of the picks, substantially as described.

6. A picking machine, comprising a vertically swinging frame, a series of picks carried by the frame, mechanism to operate the picks, and a hoisting device to raise and lower the frame, substantially as described.

7. In a picking machine, the combination with a supporting frame, picks, and means for vertically reciprocating the picks from one end of the frame, of a crank shaft at the other end of the frame, rods pivoted on the cranks of the shaft and having their other ends pivoted to the picks, and a cushion between the said rods and the picks, substantially as described.

S. In a picking machine, the combination with a supporting frame, a pick, and means for vertically reciprocating the pick from one end of the frame, of a crank shaft at the other end of the frame, a rod pivoted to the crank shaft and. to the pick, a frame secured to the rod, and a sliding and spring pressed cross head carried by the frame and pivoted to the pick, substantially as described.

9. In a picking machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a crank shaft at each end of the frame, a driving connection between the crank shafts, picks, rods pivoted to the upper ends of the picks and to one of the crank shafts,said rods having spring sections, rods pivoted to the picks between their ends and to the other crank shaft, and a cushion between the last named rod and the pick, substantially as described.

10. In a picking machine, the combination with an inclined frame, of a crank shaft at each end. of the frame, picks, rods pivoted to IOO the upper ends of the picks and to the crank shaft at the upper end of the frame, rods pivoted to the crank shaft at the lower end of the frame, and to the picks between their ends, substantially as described.

SYLVENUS D. MOSHER. lVitnesses:

W. J. PRALATOWSKI, HOWARD P. MosHER. 

